We know, we know. You are tired of being stuck at home! We feel you and hope you are able to get out and about by now! Would you believe, over the last year, we both averaged 10,000 steps each day – that was in lockdown and with NO GYM. So we are the QUEENS of getting your steps in at home.

We both got way more time at “home” than we bargained for this year. Being nomadic, what home looked like varied wildly. Tameika was stranded in a Toronto Airbnb for awhile and then got to join her sweetie and Germany. She was stuck in some pretty strict lockdowns and doing at home workouts for months on end. Whitney had a couple different quarantines and various living situations from Kentucky to Hawaii visiting different family members. Neither of us saw much, if any, of the gym until we arrived here in Bali! 

After all that time stuck indoors, we found ourselves trying not to climb the walls (Hmm, wonder how many steps climbing the walls would be….) and figure out how to keep on top of our step goals. 

First, why set a step goal?

Maybe you are not entirely sure about the “why” behind setting a step goal. We all know that exercise is good for us, and at The Whole Experience we are about choosing exercise that is enjoyable for the individual. Otherwise, it is simply not sustainable for the long term. We want to engage in activities that we can enjoy for decades to come. So that’s the first benefit of a step goal. It’s sustainable!

The next benefit is that it’s doable. What other kind of movement is more doable and useful for the long term than walking? Walking is something that we all want to be doing for the rest of our lives! And not only is it doable, getting your steps in every day is an incredible way to lose weight. We have had clients lose massive amounts of weight by setting a daily step goal and literally walking off the weight.

But step goals are not only about losing weight!  Being committed to daily movement and resisting the sedentary modern day lifestyle has a ton of other health benefits. People who move frequently live longer! Perhaps you have heard the concept of Blue Zones- places around the globe where people regularly live past 100. One of the commonalities within these communities is that the people there move… a lot! Movement is integrated into their days, whether they are walking to work, tending to gardens or staying active within their homes by helping with children, cooking and cleaning. 

To avoid the inevitable negative consequences of being sedentary, including heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and even some cancers, there is a relatively simple solution. Movement!

Setting Movement Goals

If you need a step goal to start with, 10,000 is a great number, but can feel like a lot if you aren’t getting a lot of movement in. Just start somewhere and challenge yourself to do a little more every day until you get up to the number you are aiming for! Getting steps and seeing what you have accomplished can help keep you motivated. There are pretty cheap fitness trackers around, so you don’t even need to get the big name ones to get the benefit. 

Sometimes, even in “normal” times, you are going to have days where you’re at home all day long, and it doesn’t mean that you have to be sedentary. Whether your gym is only intermittently open these days or you just have responsibilities that require you to be at home frequently, one of the best ways to stay healthy is getting consistent movement throughout the day. If you are stuck at home for whatever reason and you are tired pacing your hallway, we’ve got you. 

Here are 5 easy ways to get your steps in… AT HOME. 

Jump Rope- Jumping rope isn’t just for kids. It is a SUPER effective way to get in your steps, at 210 steps per minute. Five minutes of jumping rope would take care of 1000 steps and an added benefit is that you would be getting a blast of cardio! Especially if you are working at home, a quick jump rope break can clear the mind and give you a jolt of energy. That’s way more effective than coffee!

Dancing- Talk about a mood booster! We all need some more dancing in our lives. We are pretty sure the world would be a happier place if everyone had a daily dance party break. Dancing the afternoon coffee break away will get you 100 steps per minute. Here are some of our faves lately:

ABC by the Jackson 5

Anything by Salt-N-Pepa

Here Comes the Hotstepper by Ini Kamoze

Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It by Will Smith

Can you tell we are all about the throw-backs right now? You’re welcome. Ha ha. 

Cleaning the House – Wellllll, it’s not as fun as dancing, but it’s got to be done, right? At least you can feel like you are accomplishing more when you are vacuuming or scrubbing the bathtub at 78 steps per minute. Bonus points and steps if you dance and clean!

We hope this list has inspired you to integrate more movement into your lifestyle. The benefits are truly endless for rejecting a sedentary lifestyle and embracing a joyful life of holistic movement that will serve you into your old age.

It doesn’t matter how you move, Just MOVE!

We hope this list has inspired you to integrate more movement into your lifestyle. The benefits are truly endless for rejecting a sedentary lifestyle and embracing a joyful life of holistic movement that will serve you into your old age.

It doesn’t matter how you move, Just MOVE!